Two Years Later, Fox to Battle Makar for Another Major Award
It's been a long and winding road for New York Rangers' defenseman Adam Fox, but he proved multiple former teams wrong this season, and could be rewarded for it.
It was announced earlier today that Fox was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL's best defenseman. Fox joins 2018 award winner Victor Hedman, as two of the three defenders considered the best by the NHL.
Also nominated for the award is Cale Makar, current defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche, and fellow former NCAA hockey alum and Massachusetts school brethren of Adam Fox. As it turns out, this isn't the first time Fox and Makar have been in the final three for a major award.
2018-19 was a chaotic season in the hockey career of Adam Fox. The year began for him in June, when he was included in a blockbuster trade (in the NHL), which saw his rights traded from Calgary to Carolina in a five-player deal. His college season was among the nation's best, as he racked up 48 points in 33 games. In terms of defensemen, that kind of output is virtually unheard of.
Fox was nominated as one of the contenders for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best player in college hockey. Think the Heisman, but for guys with knives on their feet.
He made it into the Top 10, and was included in the "Hobey Hat Trick" top three players list. One of the players he was up against was, you guessed it, Cale Makar. Makar was in his sophomore season with the University of Massachusetts, and played an integral role in a team that won a regular season Hockey East title, and went to the national championship game.
The award was given to Makar, who went on to sign with the Avalanche. Fox, meanwhile was traded AGAIN, this time, to the New York Rangers for a duo of draft picks. The twice-traded Fox blossomed during the 2020-21 season, establishing himself as a cornerstone on the Rangers blueline for years to come.
Now, two years later, it's Fox vs. Makar for yet another piece of hardware.